Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-23
DAILY HERALD.
THE ZULUS.
How they Live-Their Character
fstics-Eugl lish Protection.

How they Lfve-The1r Char8cter'
istics-English Protection.
The Rev. William Mellen, for TWEEN
ty-four years missionary in Africa
held conference with several leading
members of the African Emigration
Society, at the rooms of Mr.. John
Hibbard, in the Cheever block, yes
terday afternoon. The object of the
society was to gain further knowledge
of the condition of the affairs in
Africa and to learn what the prospects
were for the establishment of Ameri-
can colonies.
The past twenty four years the doc
tor has been laboring among the Zulu
tribe in the State of Natal, and has
met with unusual success in his mis-
sionary efforts. In his brief talk with
the members he said:
"a great many of the natives would
rather live in towns and pay taxes on
their property than to continue in the
wild way of living. They appreciate
the fact that the English law protects
them to certain extent, and many
are glad to be under its protection.
Formerly girl was married to the
man her parents selected for her. She
had no choice in the matter. Now,
when there is marriage, an English
officer is detailed to be present and
ask the bride if she is willing. The
negro in Africa can always gain the re-
spect of his white brethren by show
ing intelligence and education.
When asked how the natives lived,
the doctor continued:
"For about three months they live
on green corn-that alone constitutes
their bill of fare. The rest OF the year
they live on corn-meal mush and grow
fat on it, too.
A big kettle of the mixture will be
made and the pot set on the floor. All
the men will gather around, and with
the assistance of the big wooden
spoons eat all they want. Then they
will retire and give the women and
children a chance, who in turn will
give way to the dogs, who have the
trouble Of washing the kettle
out for the next meal. The climate
of Natal is about like Florida, but
there is no malaria. Such thing as
thieving is never known among the
native tribes. The penalty is too
severe. AS soon as Zulu is found
taking anything which does not be-
long to him his head is cut off and
that settles it. When the white men
came and natives were placed under
the jurisdiction OF the English Gov
ernment and made amenable to its
laws, they learned to steal, and prac-
tice it, too, as the comparatively light
sentences had no terrors for them. l
know of case where a little Zulu
boy, Immediately after being released
from Jail, stole horse to ride home
on.
"Cattle raising in Natal is not as
successful as it might be, as pleuro-
pneumonia has been prevalent for
about thirty years. Corn is grown to
a very great extent and is the principal
product.
eyes, the slave trade is still carried
on in the Soudan country by the
Arabs, who sell their victims to other
tribes along the Nile, or use them as
beasts of burden in the interior for
carrying ivory or merchandise. A Pc
culiarity of the Zulu language is that
all the words end with a vowel, and
all proper names begin with the letter
u"
Then the doctor proceeded to give
the members OF the society sample
of Zulu gutturals, and left the impress
sion among them that Africa was not
such bad place after all. The MEM
bers were very much pleased with the
doctors talk, and propose to work
harder than ever to reach their Mecca.
-[Denver News.